Advice before starting DMP

Sam2018

fatbelly said:

I notice you have three (incl Aqua/Fluid) companies who gave you a second card. That opens up an obvious opportunity for complaint

https://debtcamel.co.uk/affordability-complaints-2-cards-lender/

I didn’t even know that was a thing, thank you! Will have a read 

Sam2018

Just wanted to pop on quick to update - have had a couple of letters just along the lines of "have you forgotten to pay this month?" and quite a few emails re me cancelling direct debits, but not switched phone back on yet, so no idea if they have been trying to call yet. Certainly haven't rang me on the phone number I actually use - so thats been a blessing. 

Just spent Christmas/New Year cosy at home, using debit card for bits of food shopping we needed but haven't spent anything else. Monzo card came and have re-ordered a new debit card for my old HSBC bank account aswell as no idea where existing one is. Have transferred £600 into Monzo already and will split out into "pots" once I have figured that out.

Thanks again for everyone who has been so kind to comment on this post - I 100% know I am doing the right thing now and am glad I have started the process, as its going to be quite a few months before anything moves to defaults, so just going to pay down what I can and save as much as possible in the meantime - and finally get round to getting a few jobs done in the house that are becoming more urgent now.

I really cant believe how stress-free the last 2 weeks have been and even more amazed I lived in that constant stressed state for so long over money!

Sam2018

Thought I’d come back and update a little. 

January until April brought a LOT of letters but it seems to have calmed down now.  Haven’t had any phone calls but then I did buy a payg SIM card, changed my phone number on all the accounts before I stopped paying, so literally turned that phone off and wasn’t bothered by anyone (highly recommended!)

4 defaults registered so far + set up payment plan with the two creation ones and just going back and forward via snail mail with Tesco’s x 2 as they don’t deal with anyone via email 🙄

Tesco card 1 £2088 
Tesco card 2 £1676
Creation credit card £2036
Creation curry’s £686

Just hoping these ones would hurry up!  Have ignored all letters and emails. 

Mbna card 1 £8091
Mbna card 2 £3596
Fluid card £2489
Very £1176
Debenhams card £5647
Aqua card £1409
Halifax card £2942

On a plus note; I’m feeling so much better mentally, not stressing about money every single day and I’ve managed to save almost 3k in my saving pots, had loads of jobs/repairs done in the house which were very much needed and we’ve booked a uk week away for October ! 

For anyone nervous about starting their own, don’t be. I was a wreck and made myself quite poorly with the stress but has been one of my best decisions. 

pogg000

Thanks for the update

sourcrates

That`s really good news, poster`s come on here all the time stressing about money they can`t afford to repay, and in by far the majority of cases it just takes a little re-organisation to turn things around.

Yours being an almost perfect example of how to do it.

Well done.